| Home > Education > Voice Articles > The Cantor's Voice > August 2008 |
|
| | | |
|
| |
Voice Articles
|
|
| ||||
|
The Cantor's Voice August 2008 In July, Laura and I traveled with our extended family to experience our son Zach's Bar Mitzvah in Israel. This experience was incredibly uplifting and meaningful, and we feel quite fortunate to have had the opportunity to share this experience with our close family friends, Bess and Neil Resnick & Julie and Mike Girocco, whose sons, Jonah and Harris, are Zach's close friends and fellow B'nai Mitzvah. 
Planning a Bar Mitzvah thousands of miles from the location isn't easy, and I give tremendous kudos to Laura, who along with Julie and Bess, made the simcha a holy and beautiful event. The three boys were called to the Torah on Thursday, July 3, Rosh Chodesh Tammuz, at Beit Sh'muel Guest House and Cultural Center, which is housed on the campus of Hebrew Union College in Jerusalem. The room has floor to ceiling windows, with a spectacular view of the Old City, a perfect site for such a celebration. 
The boys led the entire service, read from the Torah, and spoke about their portion and the significance of Bar Mitzvah with meaning and insight. Following the service, our family and friends in attendance shared in a delicious brunch and festive dancing. 
Earlier this spring, the boys hosted an event they called a "Bark Mitzvah," whose underlying purpose was to raise money for Beit Issie Shapiro, located in Ra'anana, which, amongst its many activities, provides therapeutic daycare and treatment for both children and adults with developmental challenges. From the "Bark Mitzvah" (so named because the event involved a dog walk!) the three boys raised over $6,000 for Beit Issie. 
During the second week of our trip, we visited Beit Issie, and had a chance to see first-hand what this incredible organization does. The boys played with some of the children who received treatment, and shared in a special party with these children in honor of their B'nai Mitzvah. It was a special day. I look forward to sharing more experiences from our trip with you in the future. Have a wonderful rest of summer. 
Keith Miller Hazzan Director of Education |
About Us | Activities | Education | Support KM | Web Stuff
Copyright © 2007 Kehillat Ma'arav
www.km-synagogue.org